The Town of Bonnyville is updating its land use bylaw, changing setback requirements.
These proposed changes will allow landowners to have a detached garage without using up their rear yard.
Council heard the presentation at the Nov. 12 council meeting.
Administration reviewed their setback requirements for accessory structures under the current bylaw. To increase rear yard space, a reduction of setbacks for garages and carports was proposed.
Other municipality's regulations and building codes were examined. A minimum setback of 1.5 metres from property lines for garages and carports was suggested as these can be heated and powered.
The setback for storage sheds and other accessory structures will stay at 1.0 metre. For garages and carports with doors facing the rear lane, the setback will be either 6.1 metres or 1.5 metres to prevent parking congestion in the lane.
Dan Heney, general manager of planning and community services, explains the impact of these changes.
“The original change from the one metre was previously a side yard setback, that was increased to 1.5 metres and that piece in particular to build an accessory suite on top of a garage,” he said. “The other changes in the 1.5 and or the six depend on the orientation of the six. Previously, we were essentially enforcing that someone has a parking stall behind their garage if the doors were to face the lane-way.”
“Now we’re giving the ability to move that within one and a half metres of the lane with the assumption there’s no parking behind the garage they’re just driving into the garage,” said Heney.
A side yard setback means the distance between a side lot line and the closest wall or part of a building. The setbacks keep buildings from getting too close to each other.
Council passed the motion and a public hearing for the bylaw is scheduled for Dec. 10 in council chambers.
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